FRE1 NPC Conversion Questions

[L. R. Ballard]

I'm converting a druid from 2e to 5e. He has a scroll with the spell transmute rock to mud. I don't see the spell anywhere in the Druid spell list. Is that spell in any 5e publication? If not, I'll offer a substitute spell.

[LordEntrails]

I'm converting a druid from 2e to 5e. He has a scroll with the spell transmute rock to mud. I don't see the spell anywhere in the Druid spell list. Is that spell in any 5e publication? If not, I'll offer a substitute spell.

It's in one spell Transmute Rock, found in Princes of the Apocalypse. Might also be available in the Elemental Evil Players guide, but I'm not sure.

[L. R. Ballard]

It's in one spell Transmute Rock, found in Princes of the Apocalypse. Might also be available in the Elemental Evil Players guide, but I'm not sure.

Good find. Ninja'd even?

I'll see if I can catch Princes of the Apocalypse on sale.

PS: In general, when converting a mod from 2e to 5e, is it preferable to include a spell from a resource that a user may not have, or is it better to omit the spell?

[Zacchaeus]

Good find. Ninja'd even?

I'll see if I can catch Princes of the Apocalypse on sale.

PS: In general, when converting a mod from 2e to 5e, is it preferable to include a spell from a resource that a user may not have, or is it better to omit the spell?

I usually try to find some kind of substitute; there usually is if you are working with 2e. If the spell that they have is just not something that appears in 5e at all then I would substitute one.

[L. R. Ballard]

I usually try to find some kind of substitute; there usually is if you are working with 2e. If the spell that they have is just not something that appears in 5e at all then I would substitute one.

Yes, the above counsel is prudent, especially since the spell isn't essential to plot development. The spell simply appears on a scroll that the NPC, Lanseril Snowmantle, is said to carry. Even that writeup appears in a supplement that details the NPC rather than in the adventure module itself. I'll find a substitute in a bit. At present, I'm converting Elminster . . .

[L. R. Ballard]

I debate about naming since alert PCs will possibly see the attacks from the NPC showing +1 Longsword and then they pick up a longsword after the battle and they know what it is.

I'm adding magic items to NPCs now. That means coding items like a wand of magic missiles or a rope of entanglement. I recall the advice above to give magic items generic names when they appear under Traits or Actions to prevent players from knowing what the items are before the items are identified. So, name a wand of magic missiles simply "Wand" or a rope of entanglement simply "Rope."

I started a second instance of FG to see if a player could see the names of magic items. The player's ability to see the rolls appears to be contingent on the option "Chat: Show GM rolls" being "On." If "Chat: Show GM rolls" is "Off," then players receive only a text stating that damage has occurred to the character. Is that correct? If so, is the generic naming a precaution for GMs who don't know, or have forgotten, to set the "Chat: Show GM rolls" option to "Off"?

[Zacchaeus]

The generic and actual names are dependant on whether you have identification of items option on or off. In it is set to on the items will be shown by their generic name until the player identifies them the dm can then toggle the item as identified. If it is set to off then the actual name will be displayed.

If an unidentified item is equipped the it will show as unidentified. Not sure what shows in chat if the item is used.

Show DM rolls is a different thing and isn't linked to items being identified or not. If this option is set to not show DM rolls then it simulates the table top where the DM is rolling behind a screen, so the players don't know what the result is. If set to show then the players get ti see the roll in all its glory.

[L. R. Ballard]

As always, I appreciate your taking the time to answer my questions.

The generic and actual names are dependant on whether you have identification of items option on or off. In it is set to on the items will be shown by their generic name until the player identifies them the dm can then toggle the item as identified. If it is set to off then the actual name will be displayed.

Yes, that's correct regarding items included in parcels. I see the value of giving a generic name to a magic item when making it an item that goes into a parcel: It ensures that the players use identify rather than simply somehow know what an item is that the DM drops into the party's inventory.

But my question has to do with how to name a magic item wielded by an NPC. Here's my question from earlier in the thread:

My first question is about how to add magic items to an NPC. I note that some NPCs in The Sunless Citadel have a description in their NPC stat cards titled "Special Equipment." After the subheading, the entry describes the item. In the example I've chosen, the effect is from a magic longsword. The entry names the item and states that the effect for that item is already calculated in the NPC's longsword attack.

What is the best practice for enumerating multiple pieces of special equipment?

Here's the reply in part:

I debate about naming since alert PCs will possibly see the attacks from the NPC showing +1 Longsword and then they pick up a longsword after the battle and they know what it is.

I may have misunderstood the previous reply. Is the debate with Lord Entrails about how to name an item to be included in a parcel or how to name an item that appears on an NPC stat card?

I agree that "alert PCs" could identify items in a parcel that already have their true names. It would be easy to see that a sword named "Holy Avenger" is magical rather than just a simple longsword.

But I haven't proved that the chat window will disclose a magical longsword attack as such unless, under Options, "Chat: Show GM Rolls" is set to "On."

So, for example, let us say that the NPC Sir Braford from The Sunless Citadel attacks a PC named Dorn Blackhammer. If the "Chat: Show GM Rolls" is set to "On," then the player's chat window shows the following information:

Attachment 19726

The "GM's" dialogue indicates who attacked and with what kind of weapon.

However, if the "Chat: Show GM Rolls" is set to "Off," then the player's chat window shows the following information:

Attachment 19727

The player sees only that an attack hit him, though the player has no idea who hit or with what.

I'm okay with including a section in the NPC stat card that reads "Special Equipment" that describes magical weapons. But it's a time consuming addition if only to reiterate information for GMs who don't know how, or forgot, to set their Chat options. It doesn't appear that players would be able to identify enemy magic items in the chat otherwise, but I'll include the "Special Equipment" section. . . .

[LordEntrails]

Hmm, interesting thoughts. You are, as always, thorough. More than I was when I started doing thing the way I have.

So, here's how I've been doing thing in the past (but not sure it's the best way). Note, I do use the option to Show GM Rolls = Off.
In the story entry I have the encounter description, boxed text, and a few fields like this;
Attachment 19728
Under the Treasure section I will put a blurb about who is carrying any of the treasure items (i.e. magic weapons, armor, etc) and if appropriate I may create a second parcel of just the items on that NPC (usually I don't, as I leave it up to the DM to adjust the parcel as needed, but in special cases I have).

Also, (as stated earlier) I put the weapon name in the action name (i.e. "Owl Cleaver" or "Longsword +1") on the NPC.

Now, with what others have said and with LR's comments, I don't think putting the item name in the action name is a good idea. It assumes (or works best) if the GM has his rolls option to Off, but I don't think a module developer should assume that, or even infer that such is best practice.

There are three ways I can therefore think to handle special/magic items/weapons;
1) Create a trait called Special Equipment. I don't think I really like this, but it has benefits such if you use the NPC is other modules you know how the stats were arrived at. It makes the NPC object "self-contained" (important IMO).
2) Put the item name in the descriptive text of the action. I don't know if this would work well of if it might hameper FG's action parsing. i.e. this would be something like;
Attachment 19729
3) Just put the special items in the Story entry. Easy, but then makes the NPC not self-contained/portable.

[Zacchaeus]

Yes, I agree you can't assume that show GM rolls is off; and if they are on then the weapon attacks will be identified. I suppose it also comes down to things like if the NPC is weilding a sword +1 then the players might not easily spot that unless GM rolls is set to on. However if something is coming at them with a Longsord Flame Blade they'd need to be blind not to notice. So it may be moot whether the NPC has the blade fully named or not. I tend to go with the 'Special Equipment' trait where you would describe the NPC as wearing Bracers of Defense and carrying a +1 Longsword and include a line saying something to the effect that the additional AC and attack and damage includes any relevant bonuses.